Best Supplements to Gain Muscle
If you’re trying to gain muscle, supplementation is an important concept to grasp. It is important to first understand what supplementation is. Supplementation is “the addition of an extra element or amount to something”. So why do we need it? Well, if we have the proper nutrition that our body needs, we don’t. However, this is very difficult to achieve so many athletes use supplements to make up for what they may be missing in their diet. Whether that is protein, amino acids, or carbohydrates, understanding your body’s’ needs is the first step to understanding what supplements you should consider.
In the bodybuilding and fitness world, consumers are thrown supplements down their throats with misinformation and misguidance, not to mention the expensive price tags they come with. In this guide, we’ll review what you need to know about various supplements to gain muscle and which ones are best for you.
Protein:
We’ve all heard of this one in the fitness world, and for good reasons. Protein is the key nutrient to building muscle. Your muscles are composed of thousands of muscle fibers strung together. These muscle fibers are made of thin filaments comprised of a protein called actin, which is twisted around strands of a protein called tropomyosin. As you can see, protein really is the building block of muscle. Going even further, what makes up these proteins? Those would be Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). We’ll get to more about BCAAs below.
How much protein do you need? While this is a very complex question, we’ll give you some of the basics to consider. The first thing to take into consideration is your gender. Males should aim to get about one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Females should aim to get about .7 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. This amount of protein will provide enough to build your muscles and keep you feeling full throughout the day.
Looking for the best protein supplements? Here are a few of our favorites:
- Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
- MusclePharm Combat Protein Powder
- JYM Supplement Science Mass Chocolate Mousse Protein
BCAAs:
Now that we know why protein is necessary, we can move on to BCAAs. Branched Chain Amino Acids are made of three essential amino acids and are metabolized in the muscles instead of in the liver. These three amino acids are:
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Valine
These essential amino acids are not produced by the body and therefore must be consumed either in your diet or by supplementation. So what exactly do BCAAs do? In short, they are used for energy when you workout. BCAAs help keep your glycogen stores full. If your glycogen stores are empty, your body may revert to using precious muscle for energy, something nobody wants.
Need help picking out your BCAAs? We recommend Scivation Xtend BCAA Powder
Pre-Workout:
Pre-workout is another commonly used term in the fitness industry, but is it necessary? In short, no. Pre-workout is optional when training. With that said, we would absolutely recommend it to enhance your training program. Many people are able to lift heavier weights longer with pre-workouts. It is important to understand what exactly is in your pre-workout. The most common ingredients are:
- Caffeine
- Vitamins B6, B12
- Creatine
- and more
These ingredients combine to provide energy and endurance to your body. Looking for our favorite pre-workouts?
These are the three best supplements to gain muscle. What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear your tips to building muscle! Comment below!
